A Christmas Promise
by Bludge
Summary: Part of the Graveyard Shift’s December Challenge. Only 21 days to go to Christmas, so how about a healthy dosage of GC to get into the spirit? R


Disclaimer: No I don't own these; I have merely borrowed them to celebrate Christmas!  
  
Archive: Here and the Graveyard.  
  
Dedicated: To my sister, Jude, who turned 14 on 28/11 and my brother, Andy, who turned 19 on 1/12 (it's thanks to these two that I'm broke before the mad Christmas shopping has even begun!)  
  
A/N: Hi all. I promise I will update my other stories soon, it's just been so hectic for me right now. I had my last Mock GCSEs today (don't get me started on how the maths went!) and also this is my day for the Graveyard Shift December Challenge. Hope you all like it! Special thanks to my beta Nicole. Well R&R and Enjoy! - Bex  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Grissom stared at the rows of thick healthy pine trees, illuminated by bright floodlights. Masses of people wandered around; either alone, or discussing with friends and loved ones which tree to pick. Everywhere he looked there was a smiling face. It had been a long time since he'd been to a place like this. "Remind me why I'm here again?" He asked the attractive blonde standing next to him.  
  
"Because Gris there's this strange tradition about buying a tree at Christmas and decorating it," Catherine lectured, "And you promised that beautiful little girl over there that her favourite uncle would help prepare ours."  
  
He followed her finger to where Lindsey was gazing up at the trees, her eyes sparkling with excitement. It was probably the first time he'd seen her look so happy since her father had died; the light in her young blue eyes that Eddie's death had stolen had finally returned. She turned and waved at them to come over. "Mom, Uncle Gil, we need to find a tree. Come on," Lindsey beckoned them.  
  
"We're coming honey," Her mother called back, but the impatient girl had already bounded off down between the rows. Cath smiled at Grissom. "Anyway Gil, you never go out anymore unless there's a dead body involved somehow. This'll be a healthy change."  
  
She winked at him before hurrying off in the direction her daughter had gone. He watched her go for a moment, a fond smile playing upon his lips, before he went to catch them up.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Try pushing a bit harder Cath."  
  
"What do you think I'm doing? Sleeping?"  
  
Grissom turned his head backwards to face her, but his efforts were rewarded with a face-full of pine leaves, belonging to the tree he was struggling to hold in his arms. He could just make out a whisper of golden hair among the mass of green stuck on the over side of the doorframe. Of course - being the child she was - Lindsey had chosen a ridiculously large tree, which the adults now battled with to force through the front door. "I don't really think this is an appropriate time to be sarcastic Catherine."  
  
"And I don't really think this is an appropriate time to-"  
  
"Mom, Uncle Gil," Lindsey cut across, as if she was scolding two young children, "Stop arguing or we'll never get the tree ready before New Year, let alone Christmas!"  
  
If he could see Cath's face, he knew that it would be wearing the same expression as his when she said: "Yes ma'am!"  
  
"I think I'm starting to prefer the tiny tree," Grissom commented only loud enough for Cath's ears alone and he heard a chuckle in return at memory.  
  
"On my count," The young girl instructed, "Three, Two, One. PUSH!"  
  
It was the combination of Catherine shoving with all her force and Grissom pulling with all his strength that sent the tree, pines and CSIs flying through the door and sprawling all over the living room floor. Lindsey was the first one to start laughing and the adults soon joined her. Gris got to his feet first and he walked over to help Catherine back onto hers.  
  
Maybe it was the coldness of her skin, but as her hand touched his, Grissom felt a tingle run down his spine. She smiled gratefully at him. "How about I make some hot chocolate whilst you two set up the tree for decorating?" Catherine suggested.  
  
"Sounds great mom," Lindsey replied happily. She grabbed Grissom by the hand. "Come on Uncle Gil, we've got a tree to put up."  
  
Catherine walked back in ten minutes later to see the tall tree standing proudly in the corner, Lindsey sitting on the floor near by carefully removing decorations from the box they were kept in and neatly arranging them in front of her, and Grissom vacuuming up the last of the pine needles off the carpet. "Wow Gris. Keep this up and we might have you around more often," Cath teased with a playful smile.  
  
He turned off the vacuum and removed a mug off the tray she was carrying, sipping it with a smile of his own. "Mmm. I suppose I'll have to if I want to get more of this chocolate. And spending time with my two favourite girls is always a bonus."  
  
Gris swore he caught her blushing as she put the tray down on the coffee table and turned her attention to her daughter. "We ready to start decorating yet, baby?"  
  
"Yep," The girl beamed back.  
  
"Well let's get started," Catherine said, rubbing her hands together eagerly.  
  
As they coiled tinsel up the tree and hung baubles and other ornaments onto the branches with great precision, memories of another Christmas filled Grissom's mind. Memories of the first tree he'd ever received in Vegas. The first time he'd decorated one with her.  
  
* Flashback *  
  
"I felt sorry for it. Besides, I think it's cute."  
  
"You can barely fit one piece of tinsel around it!"  
  
"Well Gil, if you wanted a better tree, you should have come with me."  
  
He noticed that she already has that look which he knew better than to mess with. The tiny pine tree struggled to reach his waist and seemed to be crammed with more lushes green pine leaves that it could take. Catherine had turned up on his doorstep with it. Along with a new bruise marking the flawless skin of her cheek. Even Christmas Eve couldn't keep the peace.  
  
She looked at him with her head titled to one side, as if she'd forgotten about everything else that had just happened. "Do you actually own any tinsel?"  
  
He thought about it for a moment; trying to forget the real reason she was here, but the contusion reminded him. Finally, he managed to force a shrug. "I have no idea. I can't remember ever buying any."  
  
"Thought so," She replied as if expecting that answer. Catherine pulled out a bag of ready-made popcorn that had been dyed a range of bright colours. "We could thread these with a bit of string, then use them to decorate the tree..." Her voice railed off when Grissom tenderly touched the wound on her face. She averted her eyes, knowing exactly what he was thinking behind that intense gaze. "He's not usually like this around this time of year," She whispered so softly that her voice was barely audible.  
  
"Are you going back to him?" he questioned, a harshness to his gentle tone.  
  
"I don't know," She muttered, backing away. But with that answer, she'd just confirmed his fearful thoughts; by the morning she would be gone, then she would be back here - in a worse or better state - only a few days later. He opened his mouth to start his worthless pleads that never worked and only caused arguments when she cut him off: "Please Gris. I don't want to talk about it. Not here. Not now."  
  
"Alright," Gris agreed, even though he wanted otherwise. "I better find some thread and a needle.'  
  
And her smile returned.  
  
They sat side-by-side threading the popcorn together to decorate their tree with. That was the way Grissom was always going to think of it as: their tree. "You know," She said as she passed him another piece to add on, "I used to love Christmas as a child. It was the only time my parents seemed to put up with my presence."  
  
She shuffled closer and laid her head against his shoulder, gazing at the dwarf tree in front. The contact made him smile, her closeness warming him as it always did. "I hope," Catherine continued, only just managing to stifle a yawn, "That one day I'll have a child to help me decorate the tree at Christmas. To share my excitement. And I hope you'll be there to help us."  
  
He wrapped an arm around her. "I'm sure I will be"  
  
* End Flashback *  
  
"Uncle Gil? Uncle Gil?" Lindsey's voice brought him out of his daze. He blink a couple of times to clear the cobwebs of recollection from his head and looked at the girl standing in front of the decorated tree. Except something was missing. "I need help putting the angel on top," She told him.  
  
"Okay." Grissom went over to her. "Ready?" He asked and when she nodded, he lifted her up.  
  
With great care, she placed the angel - a simplistic gold one that was obviously her mother's choice - on the top of the three, completing their task. "Wow," Lindsey breathed as she was placed back down. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of wonderment and Christmas tree lights. "It looks so cool. Thank you, Uncle Gil." She hugged him tightly before running off to drink the rest of her hot chocolate.  
  
"I guess I need to thank you too." He turned his head to find Cath standing next to him. With a smile lighting up her face, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek. Then she walked off to finish her drink with her daughter, whilst Gris subconsciously touched the spot where her lips had just been, a wide smile creeping across his own.  
  
After they'd finished their drinks, Catherine collected up the empty mugs, leaving Grissom and Lindsey alone on the couch. The young girl yawned and rested her head lazily against Grissom's shoulder. "I'm glad you came to help us," She muttered drowsily.  
  
"I am too, Linds."  
  
"Mom's always happier when you're around."  
  
He looked questioningly down at the child, but she was already fast asleep. Careful not to wake her, he placed an arm around her and kissed her tenderly on the head - wishing that she was his daughter. In his heart she was; and her mother was his too.  
  
Cath came back into the room, an adoring smile touching her lips when she saw the two of them on the couch together. He spotted her and held out an arm to her. Obediently, she curled up on the other side of him, resting her tired head against his chest, whilst he wrapped his arm protectively around her. They gazed at the Christmas tree - the fairy lights being the only source of light in the room - in comfortable silence.  
  
She was the first to break it: "You're coming over for Christmas dinner, right?" She whispered.  
  
"Yes," He replied in the same hushed tone.  
  
"Good, Lindsey would be upset if you didn't."  
  
"What about you?" He inquired.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Would you be upset if I didn't come?"  
  
"Yes," She admitted, failing to stop a yawn escaping. "But don't let it go to your head."  
  
He chuckled. "I won't."  
  
"How about next year? Are you going to help us decorate the tree again?"  
  
"Yeah, I will," He promised.  
  
"I'm glad you came," She murmured sleepily.  
  
"Well a promise is a promise, isn't it Cath?" When she failed to answer, he looked down at her to find that sleep had silently stolen her away. "Anyway," He continued, knowing full well that she couldn't hear him, "I'd take any excuse to spend time with you and Lindsey."  
  
He kissed her lovingly on the forehead, praying that everyday could be like this. Praying that everyday he could feel as complete as being with them made him. "Besides, I told you that I was sure I'd be around to help you and your child decorate the tree. And I can promise you now, that'll never change. I'm going nowhere without you two. This is where I belong."  
  
He watched the soft light dance on the two sleeping faces. A sense of belonging filled him. "Merry Christmas, Cath."  
  
~The End~  
  
A/N: What do you think? Go on; hit that button and tell me! I need something to smile about. You know you want! 


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